Extensions & add on Safari

The closest national park to Arusha town – northern Tanzania’s safari capital – Arusha National Park is a multi-faceted jewel, often overlooked by safari goers despite offering the opportunity to explore a beguiling diversity of habitats within a few hours. The entrance gate leads into shadowy montane forest inhabited by inquisitive blue monkeys and colourful turacos and trogons – the only place on the northern safari circuit where the acrobatic black-and-white Colobus monkey is easily seen. In the midst of the forest stands the spectacular Ngurdoto Crater, whose steep, rocky cliffs enclose a wide marshy floor dotted with herds of buffalo and warthog. Further north, rolling grassy hills enclose the tranquil beauty of the Momella Lakes, each one a different hue of green or blue. Their shallows sometimes tinged pink with thousands of flamingos, the lakes support a rich selection of resident and migrant waterfowl, and shaggy waterbucks display their large lyre-shaped horns on the watery fringes. Giraffes glide across the grassy hills, between grazing zebra herds, while pairs of wide-eyed dik-dik dart into scrubby bush like overgrown hares on spindly legs. Although elephants are uncommon in Arusha National Park, and lions absent altogether, leopards and spotted hyenas may be seen slinking around in the early morning and late afternoon. It is also at dusk and dawn that the veil of cloud on the eastern horizon is most likely to clear, revealing the majestic snow-capped peaks of Kilimanjaro, only 50km (30 miles) distant. But it is Kilimanjaro unassuming cousin, Mount Meru - the fifth highest in Africa at 4,566 metres (14,990 feet That dominates the park’s horizon. Its peaks and eastern foot slopes protected within the national park, Meru offers unparalleled views of its famous neighbor, while also forming a rewarding hiking destination in its own right. Arusha National Park is famous for the movie Hatari which was shot in Tanzania in the 1960’s with John Wayne and Hardy Krugar.

Adds one extra day to the safari plan

MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK

Where black rhino and wild dog have returned to roam. .  East of the Pare Mountains, Mkomazi falls along the edge of a semi-arid savannah arc that stretches into bordering Kenya's Tsavo East National Park. Every day, thousands of people pass near its gates at Same Town on one of Tanzania's busiest highways. Few, however, know of its rugged acacia-covered beauty beside the Usambara and Pare mountains, with Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance. Endangered black rhino and wild dog have found refuge in the national park along with the adjacent Umba reserve in order to better protect those and other species. Within the park, the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary has attained international renown for rehabilitating rhino, and it offers limitless viewing and educational opportunities for travellers.  Herds of the tall slender-necked Gerenuks, with their bizarre alien-like heads, survive in Mkomazi's arid lands where other antelope cannot; the Gerenuk even stand on their hind legs to stretch for the tiny leaves of thorny bushes and trees. The park takes its name from the Pare tribe's word for “water source,” referring to the Umba River on Mkomazi's south eastern border. The river and other water holes keep the park teeming with small and large mammals, including silver backed jackal, lion, cheetah, leopard, lesser kudu, giraffe, buffalo, elephant and zebra. Bird-watchers also delight in trying to spot any number of Mkomazi's 450 avian species, from wood hoopoe to tawny eagle, parrot to kingfisher.  As a national park, Mkomazi have the potential to be a glorious sanctuary where travellers will explore more of Tanzania's hidden natural treasures One need to add three days to visit Mkomazi National Park

A visit to George Adamson / Tony Fitzjohns Wildlife Preservation Trust You will get to see Black Rhino’s from the bunkers at 10 meters away (when the Rhino’s come to drink water) and African Wild dogs bridging program to be reintroduced to the wild.

we have not mentioned the following parks in the Great North Circuit of Tanzania but any may be added on to the safari plan.

For Zanzibar, Pemba Mafia Island Extensions , Tanzania Private Select Safaris can also arrange your beach holidays to Zanzibar Island, Pemba Island and Mafia Island .

 

ZANZIBAR

Zanzibar Island best known as the 'Spice Island' was the centre for the slave trade in East Africa and base for David Living Stone's expeditions into the unexplored African interior.
Zanzibar Island smells full of the aroma of cloves and other spices, which still provide a livelihood for many people of Zanzibar. There are two main Islands making up Zanzibar, Unguja and Pemba, but Unguja is popularly referred to as Zanzibar.
Both Island are famous for its, mile-long untouched beaches with white sands, the deep green azure of the of the ocean, coconut palm trees against the blue sky with its ornamental white clouds. The islands are surrounded by unspoiled coral reefs, and are becoming famous for the spectacular scuba diving and snorkeling.

 

Pemba Island

 

Pemba main attractions are the surrounding coral reefs. The islands are surrounded by unspoiled coral reefs and are becoming famous for the spectacular sun and sea adventure scuba diving and snorkeling. For much of its history, Pemba has been over shadowed by Zanzibar Island its larger and more politically powerful neighbor to the south.

Although the two islands are only separated by about 50km of water, relatively few tourists make their way across the channel to Pemba, but those who do are seldom disappointed.

However as the island is so remote it is important to realize that facilities (hotels, roads, transport etc) on Pemba are not as developed as they are in Zanzibar. It's not that there are no historic sites to visit, or a lack of good beaches, because there are plenty of these and the island.

 

Mafia Island

 

Mafia Island lies off the mainland close to the Rufiji Delta, just a short flight from City of Dar as Salaam, Arusha Town, the Selous Game Reserve or Zanzibar Island. The Mafia Island known as "Indian Ocean Tropical Paradise Island" for beach holidays, water sports, deep sea fishing, and one of the best diving destinations in the world.
The water is incredibly crystal clear. The variety of the coral permits an unimaginable quantity and variety of fishes.

Chole Bay, Mafia's protected deep-water anchorage and the original harbor, is studded with islands, sandbanks and beaches. The clear, protected waters offer wonderful snorkeling, sailing and swimming, scuba diving.
Outside the bay unbroken reef runs the length of the island, from Tutia in the south to Ras Mkumbi at the northern tip.
On the Island the rich variety of vegetation is dominated by large palm groves.

In some areas you will find baobab trees dotting the typical African savannah. The mangroves play an extremely important role by preventing coastal erosion. There are also fruit trees in many areas, mainly mango and cashew trees.

 

Ruaha National Park

Ruaha it is one of the finest national parks in Africa. It is bordered in the north by the Kizigio and Rungwa River Game Reserves, and together they form a 26,500km² conservancy, one of the biggest in East Africa.  The best months to visit are from July to November when the animals congregate around the water holes, but the park is stunning all year round. You  can  see rocky outcrops and mountain ranges giving it a topography that ranges from 750m to 1,900m on the peak of Ikungu Mountain, and the focal point of the reserve is the Great Ruaha River, with its deep gorges, swirling rapids and excellent

Selous Game Reserve

The Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest fauna reserves of the world, located in the south of Tanzania. It was named after Englishman Sir Frederick Selous, a famous big game hunter and early conservationist, who died at Beho Beho in this territory in 1917 while fighting against the Germans during World War I. Scottish explorer and cartographer Keith Johnston also died at Beho Beho in 1879 while leading a RSGS expedition to the Great Lakes of Africa with Joseph Thomson. The Selous was designated a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1982 due to the diversity of its wildlife and undisturbed nature.
The reserve covers a total area of 54,600 km² (21,081 square miles), has additional buffer zones and no permanent human habitation or permanent structures are permitted. All (human) entry and exit is carefully controlled by the Tanzanian Game Dept. Some of the typical animals of the savanna (for example elephants, hippopotami, African Wild Dog cape buffalo and crocodiles) can be found in this park in larger numbers than in any other African game reserve or national park. The Selous is one of the last remaining pristine true wilderness areas in the world.

Sadani National Park

It has been recently upgraded from game reserve to become the 13th National park in Tanzania. Sadani is Tanzania's only coastal wildlife sanctuary, the national park transformed from old Sadani Game Reserve, Wami River Delta and the South Mkwaja Ranch, which was bought in 1997 and donated to the Tanzanian government. The park has now the total area of almost 1,000 sq. kilometers. It is located 50 kilometers north of Bagamoyo Town. Mkwaja Sadani National Park contains distinctive and rare habitat. (Unique in East Africa) is the beach with salt grass flats along the Indian Ocean.
At least 24 species of large mammals are found here, including the rare Roosevelt sable antelope, furthermore the beach areas contain one of the last significant East African breeding beaches in  for the green turtle
At the Wami River mouth, there is large and still well preserved mangrove swamps. The northern part, where was a cattle ranch, is dominated by coastal lowland mosaic, presenting an exceptional variety of habitats, woodland, forest, coastal thicket, semi-arid scrub, grassland, wetlands, salt marshes, mangroves and beaches. This vegetation has a considerable number of elephants, buffaloes, large antelopes, and the rare Giant brown bat. On the coast of Indian Ocean, the park, have unique land form, which includes several pristine sand dunes with interesting vegetation types.

Gombe Steam National Park & Mahale Mountains National Park

Gombe National Park is situated 16 kms north of Kigoma, in western Tanzania, at 40 40' S, 290 38'E. Covering only 52 sq km (20 sq miles), it is a narrow strip of mountainous country bounded in the east by the crest of the eastern Rift Valley escarpment, and in the west by Lake Tanganyika.
The western boundary actually excludes the lakeshore, allowing local people to walk along the beach, and fishermen to camp there. The northern and southern boundaries are ridges separating the Park from the villages of Mwamgongo and Kasinga.

The Park is dissected by 13 steep-sided valleys carved out by swift-flowing streams running from east to west. The altitude varies from 773 meters above sea level (at the lake shore) to over 1500 meters at the top of the escarpment (i.e. 2,535 to 4,920 ft).
The Park's most special feature is its chimpanzees, made famous by Jane Goodall's study. You will be amazed at how these wild creatures accept you as they go about their everyday activities
Mahale Mountains National Park lies on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania. Named after the Mahale Mountains range that is within its borders, the park has several unusual characteristics. First, it is one of only two protected areas for chimpanzees in the country.
Another unusual feature of the park is that it is one of the very few in Africa that must be experienced by foot. There are no roads or other infrastructure within the park boundaries, and the only way in and out of the park is via boat on the lake.